Vending machine



' vl, 2,14 Sept 131927 j -J. B. wATLlNG 64 3- VENDING MACHINE 4 3 Sheets-Sheet l v1,641,134 I l Sept. A13, 1927.

B. WATLING VENDING MACHINE Filed Juli! '2, 1923A 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W www l1: WA mh.

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Sept. 113, 1927; 1, BJWATLING .vmmme MACHINE Filed July v.. 192s s sheetssheetvs Q l "fom/ 5g gub), lw, www

Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

JOHN B. WATLING, loF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. VENDING MACHINE.

Appn'eation ined July 7, 123. serial No. $50,048.

-magazine and prevent pocketing My invention relates more particularly to target vending machines having la 'mechanism operated by coins which are projected at the targets, .tor dispensing ball gum and lile articles.

T he principal objects of myy inventionare to provide an improved'ccin controlled vending mechanism; to afford afsimple land lreliable device .for vending ball gum 'and ythe like; to insure agitation CI" the articles in the or crampingct the articles so that they will not fail to feed; to 'provide i'or operation of the iiieclialiisinaiid delivery'olf thearticles purchased at the lfront endot the machine where the gnn erprojector is Llocated; to feed all he coins whether' they hit the targets ornot, to the vending machine mechanism so that each coin servesto operate or permitoperation of the vending mechanism; to display the coins which miss the targets in 'such a manner that they are readilyobserved'by the operator so that he can vdistinguish'the Vshots which have missed'the targets; and in genv:parts broken away to eral to aiord a simple and dependable vending machine in a form which will attract the interest of people and cause them to make purchases. On the drawings: y Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a. vending machine en bodyingmy improvements with i i disclose details of construction;

Fig. 2 va view looking at the rear of the machine with the back wall'removed;

Fig. 8 a fragmentary View on the line 3 3 ot Fig. 2;

Fig. t a top view 'of the machine with the upperportions broken away to disclose Vthe operating mechanism; 1

Figf 5 a top view ot the coinkcontrolling mechanism; and

iig. 6 a fragmentary top view of the'bottom wall of the magazine.

4Referring `to the drawings, mineral 1 indicatesV a snitable cabinet or case which is preferably of elongated form with a housing' 2 at the upper end. YA partition 3 separates the cabinet lfrom the housing 2 and is provided with a number of openings 1 which serve as ta'rgetsatwhich .coins are projected by means of a -gun 5. This .gun 5 is loosely secured in the front wall of the cabinet so that-it may be readily moved about for taking the proper `aimat the target openthe reference ings 4, 'andhas afcoin slot 7 to ladmit 'a coin 'oit' the 'proper denomination, which upon vopera'tin1, the -trigger 8, isprojected from the inner end ofthe gun into the interior of the casing 1. The mechanism 'of the gun 7 for 'shooting the coin "at the target openings Vby exterior lighting.

A casing 11'is securedto'the'rear side of the wall 3 to receive the 'coins which `pass Vthrough the target openings 4 and direct same d own into ja cup y'shaped 'member l2 'which tapers to an op'ening'at the bottom, which is closed by :the slide 113. This slide holds each coin deposited in the c up shaped 41'i`1ei'nber12'in position to permit operationA of the vending mechanism, and 'upon s uch operation A the sli-de 13 is moved `laterally to 'permit'the "coin to drop Idovvninto a coin box '14.

This-machine is designed to vend ball gum, ywhich is Acontained in a magazine 15', formed between the `rear wall 16 ot' the housing 2 and t'hepiarti'tion 3, land having the bottom formed by a plate 17 'which has vthecpposite end portionsl slightly inclined to an inter- .mediate-outlet opening 18.y The casing 11 toi' directing the coins 'i'romthe target openings 'to the coin l'controlled mechanism lis preferably ci'ita'vvay as shown to provide a large opening `at'the center with'portions of the casing rat each side forming coin chutes, said opening being in communication 'with the magazine v15 so that the articles in 4the magazine y{ill in 'the opening 65. Said opening extends' down tothe bottom wall '17 of t-'he magazine and the partition which lforms the front wall of the magazine', is

provided near Athe lower end of the opening 65 with a window opening 6 6 .closed by a heavy glass 67 so that the Aoperator can Vsee the.'characterof.articles dispensed by 'the machine andthe proprietor of the Vmachine can ascertaimwithout opening up the n azine, when the magazine is emptylor nearly @metia A fiame'19is secured to the side walls ot the machine below the magazine bottoni plate 17, and has a tube 2O extending upwardly therefrom to the opening 18 in the plate 17 so as to discharge the balls of gum successively from the magazine onto a plate 21. r1`his plate 21 is supported by a bracket 22, depending from the frame 19, at a suitable distance below the frame 19 to accommodate the balls of gum between the plate 21 and frame 19, and projects over the edge of a chute 23 which leads forwardly and downwardly through an opening in the front wall 24 of the casing 1, said wall being provided exteriorly with a cup 25 to retain the balls so that they may be conveniently obtained by the operator.

The cup member 12 is secured at its upper end to the frame 19 and at its lower end has a forwardly extending arm 26 to which the forward end of the slide 13 is pivoted as indicated at 27, and this slide is held up against the botto-m of the cup by a cross strap 28 which is secured to lateral extensions at the bottom of the cup 12. Lugs 29 depend from such lateral extensions to hold the cross strap 28 properly spaced from the bottom of the cup member to accommodate the slide 13, and these lugs serve as stops to limit the movement of the slide and other mechanism connected therewith.

The rear end of this slide 13 beyond the guide 28 is bent upwardly as indicated at'3() and has a portion extending rearwardly from the upper end, said portion comprising a loop 31 which is normally positioned so as to register with the lower end of the tube 2O to surround the lowermost ball 32 which rests on the plate 21, and this loop serves when the slide 13 is moved laterally to thc right, viewing same in F ig. 3` for releasing the coin in the bottom of the cup 12, to simultaneously move the lowermost ball 32 over beyond the end of the plate 21 so that it drops down into the chute 23. A plate portion 33 ext-ends laterally from the loop 31 adjacent the lower surface of the frame 19 so as to serve as a gate to close the lower end of the tube 2O when the loop 31 is moved over to deposita ball of gum into the chute 23.

For operating the slide 13 there is a rod 34 running lengthwise of the machine and prov jecting through a bearing 35 in the front wall, a handle 36 being provided on the exposed forward end of t-he rod for turning same. The rear end of this rod is journaled in a hanger 37 depending from the frame 19, and there is a crank arm 38 fixed on the rod 34 near the rear end and connected by a link 39 to a pivot pin 40 which depends from the slide 13. A spring 41 has one end connected to the pin 40 and the other end connected to a hook 42 on the side wall of the machine so as to normally hold the slide 13 in the position shown in Fig. 2 wherein it closes the bottom of the cup member 12 and holds the loop 31 in register with the lower end of the tube 20.

The mechanism just described is arranged to be normally locked against operation to a sufficient extent fo move the ball 32 over into the chute 23 when there is no coin in the cup member 12. To this end a coin detector 43 is pivoted at 44 on the extension or arm 26 and has a finger 45 at the outer end working in a notch 46 in the side wall of the cup 12 adjacent the lower end and immediately above the slide 13. A spring 47 connects the coin detector 43 with a lateral projection 48 at the lower end of the cup member 12 and exerts a. tension to project the finger 45 through the slot 46 into the interior of the cup member 12. An arm 49 extends laterally from the slide 13 and has a notch 50 in the forward edge cooperating with a depending finger 51 of the coin detector 43 so that when there is no coin in the cup member 12, movement of the slide 13 in a direction to feed the ball 32 into the chute 23 brings the notch 50 into engagement with the depending finger 51 of the coin detector, the spring 47 acting at such time to throw the outer end of the coin detector 43 rearwardly to cause the depending finger 51 to engage and interlock with the notch 50. The forward edge portion of the arm 49 at the side of the notch next to the slide 13 is arranged to deflect the finger 51 forwardly as the slide 13 returns under the tension of the spring 41 to the normal position Aand thereby withdraw the' finger 45 from the cup 12 and hold it in the withdrawn position.

When a coin has been deposited in the cup member 12, it drops down to the bottom of the cup and rests flat upon the upper surface of the slide 13 in the position lto obstruct inward movement of the finger 45. Therefore, when the handle 36 is operated in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1, with a coin resting in the bottom of the cup member 12, the coin detector 43 is held from movement to engage the notch 50, and the slide 13 is then capable of sufficient move ment to slide the ball 32 of gum over beyond the end of the plate 21 and also to uncover the lower end of the cup member 12 and permit the coin to drop down into the coin box 14. The portion of the cup member at the lower end may be so arranged that the coin will fall even though the finger 45 is bearing against the edge of the coin, or the arm 49 beyond the notch 50 may be suitably formed to engage the depending finger 51 sufficiently after the notch 50 has passed thereby to release the pressure of the finger 45 on the edge of the coin.v

In machines for vending ball gum or articles of a similar nature, it sometimes occurs the articles in the magazine become packed in such a manner that they interlock and lill) "depending through an opening .57 in the fra-me l9and provided with an annular slot -is no coin in the eupmember 12,/'and this -movem'ent is 'suiiicienti to` throw the head 54 for' the magazine more thoroughly. thanwhen *dpi-event i:feeding `thereof ,to the'fve-n'ding mechtanism.

vided an l,agitatorA52 Whiclncomprises fan @arm pijrote-dtothe frame-l9 .at 53 and having lahead 54jat Ithe outer end embracing t-heftube 20( This head -is adaptedvto ybe :projected through the opening 18, which flatter iss-suitably enlarged jfor this purpose Aand the head is cut away at one side as inl-dicated at'55 so that the vballs may roll onto Vthe/upper 'end ot thetube 20 fat that side Awhen the head 54 yis elevated For loperating this agitator y'the arm thereof is proyvidednear thepivOt-ed end with a'z-p'late 56 58 which 'isfengafgedby the pin 59` on.--the t -outer Iend ofthecrankarm 60, Which'cr'ank arm isgiiXed on the 'Shaft or rod 34. A ceri'tain amount of movement of the rod 34fand 4parts connected therewith occurs before the notch lOrengages the finger 45l when there 'upwardly to an ext-ent sutiicient to agitate `tlieweontents of the'imagazine. VVhen -there iszafcoin ijn the up memlo'erilandv themechanism is therefore, Capable of its fullmove-I 'ment the-head 54 is projected upwardly 'a fg'reater distance and agitates the contents there is no coin in the cup member l2. Hoivlever, with this construction anymove'ment of the handle 36 serves to agitate the contents of the `magazine and this serves toinsure suc'ient agitation of the contents of the magazine so thatl the articles 4are at :all times loosely conditioned and 'free to enter'. the outlet tube 20.

Ini'na'chinesof this type which have been heretofore constructed, the coins which :'did not `pass through 'the target 'openings dropped down into the bottom yofthe easing l and the operator was then unable to secure an article from the magazine l5. :In my machine a pan '61 is provided in the oase l with oppositely inclined sides which Iare Apitched from lfront to rear of the machine and lead-into the centrally/disposed `gutter 62 'which Aleads to the fcup member l2. The latter'is formed inits 'front-Wall with anopening' With'vvhich therear end ont "the gutter' 62 registers7 said end 'of gutter and adjoining portions ottheinclined `Walls 'being supportedby'afflange '64 on themember "12. yvfhich Harige confor-ms l'to lthe fend lportion of the-pan 61. Thus "the-machine operatesv toYA dispense an v'article regardless of Livhetler the coinfpassesthrough 'the target openings 4 or not7 as those `which miss-the openings 4 'drop down onto the-pan lfand vare conveyed'thereby to thecup member *12. J

This arrangement, which is very simple and Aiin@Ligierisive, makes this machine appealr'to the publicmore 'than 'machines in which 'the lvending maohne is not operableexcept When 'a 'coin passes Vthrough the target opening "4. Moreover,A this arrangement makesit readily 'apparent 'Whether 'theopera'tdr has hit the jtarget 'openings 'or fnot, as "the coins which Ll ,ail 5to through )the openings 4 drop downs'inmfthegpanoi in pnin View or the operator, Whereas, inA previous machines they 'T drop 'downfintothe bottom of thec'onipartvvIf'nentan'd the operator jfrequently is not a'ble to tell vvhetherlhe had'hit'the target opening lor( not.

While have show'vn and'desoribed my inn" -ve'ntion Qin 4'a preferred form, VI am laware ythat various changes and modifications may be.. made Without departing from vthe lprinciples of my invention, the scope of which is to 'be determined.l by fthe appended lc'rlainrs.

I claim as my invention:

1. In: a vendingmaohine, the 'combination of a oase having a Wall-at `one endprovide'd .with a targetaperturm af coin projector at the other end of the case 'forlproject-ing coins i' .at-'the Vtarget aperture, a magazine behind `the rWall lat the end oef-the casing and yhaving l-ainechanisrn controlled by the coins which `pass throughlsaid aperture for dispensingr artiolesfrom the magazine, and means'for collect-ing the `coinsfrom the projector Which .failtpass through .said aperture and 'conveying same through the wall to Asaid mechv-anism.

,2. 'In a vending machineythe combination ota oase havingV a Wall at one end provided with a. target aperture, la;gun/loosely secured v at'itl'le lother;endo'f-the caseand adapted .to receive fand project coins at the aperture, a magazi-ne'behind the Wall at the end of the easing and provided lWith -a lrelease mechanism foperableby ythe coins to permit removal 'of aan `article from the magazine, means Lalso'at therreanofthe aforesaid 'wall -for cohveyin'gthe :coins 'from the aperture vtothe;'release *meohanisrrn anda pan extending fforwardly -roxnfsafid 'Wall below said =aperture and 'ada-ptedjyto vconvey the coins deposited thereon to the (aforesaid release -mechanismv 3. f In fa vending maehi'n-efthe combination of an-elongatedfease provided with a vhousingfat the rearfend, :aspartition separating :the casefan'd'housingfand provided with a t Vf'plurality of 'target "openings, a gun `loosely seoured :atfthefrontfof th'etcase and yadapted toreceiveiand :projeetfcoins iat the target openings, -'a pan extending f-from front to 4r'ear f?th'e roase fanndlhavingioppositely in- 'linedside portions'leading intoan interkmediate .-gutte'r Whiehi'V-is iliclii'iedy downwardv4ly fand. rearwardly :to :an aperture yin lthe fafo-ea-idpartitiomia magazine.at the rear end `"of the gbaokif theg'partition, a eon controlled release mechanism' for permitting removal of articles from the magazine, and means for conveying coins from the aperture at the rear end of the gutter and from the target openings to th-e coin'release mechanism.

Ll. In a vending machine, the combination ot a casing divided longitudinally by a transverse partition into two compartments, a t-arget in the partition, a coin projector in one of the compartments and mounted on the iront wall oit the casing, a magazine in the other compartment, coin controlled release mechanism in said latter compartment for permitting removal of articles from the magazine, and means in the first mentioned compartment and extending from end to end thereof i'or receiving coins which fail to strike the target and conveying them to the aforesaid release mechanism in the latter compartment.

5. In a vending machine, the combination ot a casing, a coin projector extending into the casing, a magazine provided with release mechanism operated by coins from the projector, a vertical partition in the casing separating the projector from the magazine and release mechanism and said partition provided with apertures constituting targets for the coins, means behind the partition for conveying coins from the target apertures to the release mechanism, and means in front oi the partition for conveying coins which tail to pass the apertures to the said release mechanism.

6. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing, a coin projector extending into the casingat one end thereof, a magazine provided with release mechanism operated by coins from the projector' and located at the other end of the casing, a partition in the casing forming two compartments, one for' the coin projector and the other-for the magazine and release mechanism, and said partition provided with apertures consti tuting targets for the coins, means behind the partition and in the magazine and release mechanism compartment for conveying coins from the target apertures to the release mechanism, and means in front of the partition and in the coin projector compartment and extending from end to end thereor1 for conveying coins which Jrail to pass the target apertures to the release mechanism.

7. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing divided longitudinally by a transverse vertical partition into two compartments, a coin projector in the front compartment, magazine and release mechanism operated by coins from the projector carried in the rear compartment, said partition being provided with apertures'constituting targets through which coins are adapted to pass from the projector to the release mechanism, and means extending the full length of the coin projector compartof a projector for discharging coins, a target,l a receptacle for receiving the coins striking the target, a retainer for receiving the coins from the receptacle, a trough for receiving the coins not striking the target,

said trough leading to the retainer, a magazine for articles to be dispensed, and coin controlled mechanism associated with the retainer and with the magazine for discharging a single article from the magazine for each coin deposited in the retainer.

9. The combination in a vending machine, a. magazine, a passage from the magazine tor articles to be dispensed, a plate beneath the passage, a coin receiving receptacle provided with a coin discharge opening, a control device formed with a body having a slide portion, a loop and an intermediate plate portion between the loop and slide, said member being movable to one position to dispose the slide portion to close the coin discharge opening and to dispose the loop portion over the plate in position to receive and retain an article thereon; and to another position to open the coin discharge passa-ge and to dispose the intermediate plate portion to close the passage from the magazine and the loop to release the article retained there-k bv`r and means for actuating said control device.

10. The combination in a vending machine, a magazine, a passage from the magazine 'for articles to be dispensed, a plate beneat-h the passage, a coin receiving receptacle provided with a coin discharge opening, a

control device formed with a body having i a slide portion, a loop and an intermediate plate portion between the loop and the slide, said member being movable to one position to dispose the slide portion to close the coin discharge opening and to dispose the loop portion above the plate to a position to receive and retain an article thereon; and to another position to open the coin discharge opening and to dispose the intermediate plate portion to close the passage from the magazine and the loop portion to release the article retained thereby,` locking means connected with the control device for limiting the movement of the same when there is no coin in the receptacle, and means for actuating said control device.

l1. rIhe combination in a vending ma chine, a magazine, a passage from the magazine for articles to be dispensed, a plate beneath the passage, a coin receiving receptacle provided with a. coin discharge opening, a control device comprising a movable body formed to receive and retain articles on the plate and close the opening in said coin receiving receptacle, means for moving said body to uncover the opening in said coin receptacle and move and release an article from the plate, a portion of said body adapted to close the passage from the magazine in said latter position, and means for locking the body in its first position When there is Ano coin in the receptacle.

l2. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing divided longitudinally by a partition into tWo compartments, a target in the partition, a coin projector mounted on the front Wall of the casing to project into the front compartment, a magazine in one of the compartments, coin-controlled release mechanism for receiving coins and permitting removal of the articles from the magazine, and means in the first mentioned compartment and extending from end to endl thereof for receivingcoins which fail to strike the target and conveying them to the aforesaid release mechanism.

13. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing divided longitudinally and vertically throughout its height by a partition into two compartments, a target aperture in the partition, a coin projector mounted on the front Wall of the casing to project into the adjacent compartment, a magazine in one of the compartments in a plane below the projector, coin-controlled release mechanism in one of the compartments for permitting removal of the articles from the magazine, means for feeding the coins from th-e projector tov the release mechanism, means in the first mentioned compartment and extending from end to end ythereof yfor receiving coins which fail to strike the target and pass into the aperture thereof and conveying them to the aforesaid release mechanism, and means actuated from the front of the casing for operating the release mechanism to discharge an article to be vended into a suitable cup exteriorly of the casing.

14. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing divided longitudinally near one end by a partition into tWo compartments, a target in the partition, a coin projector mounted on the front Wall of the casing, a single magazine in one of the compartments, a single coin-controlled release mechanism in one of the compartments for permitting removal of articles from the magazine, a coin chute leading from the target, means in the first mentioned compartment and extending from end to end thereof for receiving coins which fail to strike the target and conveying them to the aforesaid Irelease mechanism, and manually operated means at the front of the casing for operating the release mechanism to discharge an article. y

l5. In a vending machine, a casing, a transverse partition dividing the casing into two compartments, a target on the partition having an aperture, a coin projector mounted on the front Wall of the casing, a magazine for articles to be vended, coin-controlled release mechanism in one of the compartments, a coin delivery chute leading from the target aperture, means in the first mentioned compartment and extending from end to end thereof for receiving coins Which fail to strike the target and conveying them to the release mechanism, and means at the front of the casing and extending beneath the last mentioned means for operative connection With the coin-controlled release mechanism to actuate the latter for releasing an article to be delivered exteriorly of the casing.

f JOHN B. WATLING. 

